Cherry Lime Gin Rickey

You guys, we are approaching our 5th day of 90 degrees weather and I don’t know if I can take it much longer. Scratch that – I don’t know if our tiny a/c unit can keep chugging along much longer. Yes I know it’s the dog days of summer, and it’s supposed to be hot but this hot? How about just a little break, pretty please? With a cherry on top?

Since I’m pretty sure my begging to mother nature is falling on deaf ears, I’ll just figure out other ways to stay cool instead. Most of which involve cool drinks and copious amounts of cherries.

It’s cherry season kids and you know what that means, right? Stuffing my face with as many as these jeweled orbs as I possibly can in the two months that they are in their prime. Two weeks ago fresh local cherries showed up in my CSA share and I brought home 3 quarts of cherries! I’d like to say I did something with them but I couldn’t resist just eating them by the palmful.

Doesn’t mean that there weren’t other cherries floating around in my fridge to have some fun with!

I’ve been on a gin kick since we got back from London – it does make the most perfectly refreshing summer cocktail and I couldn’t help but put together two classic drinks in one with this Cherry Lime Gin Rickey.

I’ve had a small obsession with cherry lime rickey’s ever since I started drinking them at one of our favorite Brooklyn diners. Every time I have it I know it’s made with artificial cherry and lime juice but I can’t help but order one up when I’m there. The diner has been open since 1936, it’s a little old time throw back when I step through those doors. But with it being cherry season it was finally time for a fresh, homemade version of my own.

Loaded up with a homemade cherry simply syrup, lime juice and more fresh cherries this drink is what summer is all about. Enjoy it spiked or not but I guarantee even on the hottest days it is going to cool you off. It’s a little tart and a little sweet and a big tall pitcher should be kept in the refrigerator at all times.